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Outlaw
Story by Silver :) First book in the Destiny Awaits... trilogy Chapter 1-Bluekit I wanted to play outside. I could smell newleaf in the air, and I wanted to run in the sunlight. But because of my "condition", as my mother, Rainsplash, called it, I wasn't allowed to. But this time was different. I knew I would be careful. Rainsplash finally agreed, saying if anything happened I should go straight to the medicine den. I bounded outside, shaking off moss. Peachkit, my sister, and Darkkit were playing together with a mossball. I ran over to them and waved my tail. Peachkit purred. "You got out of the nursery!" I nodded and grabbed the mossball. "I can play now!" I bragged, throwing it at Peachkit. Peachkit caught it and threw it to Darkkit. He grabbed it coolly with one claw, then tossed it to me. The game continued, until we got bored. "Let's do something else" Darkkit mewed, dropping the mossball. "Oh! I learned a hunting move!" Peachkit squealed, bouncing. "You be the mouse Darkkit!" Darkkit sat on the ground, while Peachkit snuck up behind him and pounced on him. But Darkkit darted away at the last second, and Peachkit fell onto the ground. She got up, purring, and ran at him. I bounded after them, enjoying the feeling of the wind in my fur so much I forgot to look where I was putting my paws. I hissed in pain as I stepped on a bramble from the entrance. Immediately, I panicked. Now I would never be allowed out of the camp again. But I had more urgent things to worry about. I hobbled quickly to the medicine den, Peachkit rushing to my side and helping me in. Darkkit ran to get Rainsplash. Ambereyes turned and hissed the moment she saw us. "Sit on the moss." She instructed. I flopped down and she took out the thorn. Then she put on cobwebs. But it was still bleeding. She got more and more cobwebs, but it didn't stop. It was just trickling, but I could sense her panic. And, judging by Peachkit's eyes, she felt the same. The last thing I saw was my mother's worried face and her yowling, "Do something!" before I blacked out. ~~ I walked along the grass, trying to find where I was. Glancing up, I saw a tunnel. It was covered in ivy, like it had been there a long time. There were trees and plants growing against it, concealing most of it from view. The outside walls were weathered, cracked in places, and the mouth looked ominous. '' ''I tried to run, but I couldn't. My paws lifted and lowered, going to the tunnel despite the fact that I was trying to make it stop, to let me run. '' ''I walked into the tunnel, and followed a worn path. I continued walking, until I came to a part where it widened into two. I considered them both. One was worn, the other wasn't. But the one that wasn't used as much had light shining through it. "Choose." A voice called from nowhere and everywhere. My heart pounded in my throat. '' ''I ran to the one with light, stopping under a small break in the ceiling. I looked up at it, and turned to go. The tunnel led to a dead end, which was impossible, since I literally just went through it. I turned back around, and there was another wall. The break in the ceiling was gone. '' ''The walls closed in on me, and I was trapped in a box made of stone. I yowled as loudly as I could, but no one heard. No one came. '' I jerked upward, gasping for breath. Ambereyes laid her tail on me gently. "Sit. Back. I jut got the blood to stop, and you're already moving again." "Yes." I sighed, flopping back down. I immediately jerked back up, and hopped out of my nest. It was soaked in blood. My head was pounding, and my vision was spotted. "Oh, I was meaning to clean that. I just got distracted." Ambereyes shrugged, sweeping up the wads of soaked cobwebs. "You went through half my store with one scrape. What were you even doing outside? You know you're not supposed to leave the den without supervision." "I thought I could handle it." I shrugged, wincing. "Well, you obviously can't. How are you supposed to become an apprentice tomorrow if you can't even manage to leave the camp?! Honestly, all you have to look forward to ''if ''you get apprenticed is cleaning dens and taking care of elders!" Ambereyes was preparing me for the worst. I nodded sadly, and started gathering up my bloody moss. "Might as well get used to it then." I shrug, trying to be upbeat. Ambereyes nodded, and I padded carefully towards the exit of the camp. I'd barely gone three steps when a warrior rushed forward and took it from me. "Here, let me get it." She blinked at me kindly, and left the camp. They don't even trust me to walk across camp to get rid of my own blood-soaked moss. They don't like to clean their own bedding; and ''they're not even ''trying ''to be discrete about it. '' I was distracted from my sulking when my mother grabbed me by the scruff gently and carried me into the nursery. She placed me in my nest, after checking for thorns and shrapnel, of course, and told me to stay. I stared at the wall. The nursery had been built up against a tree, and the bark had been worn to the smooth, inside part of the tree. The tightly knit brambles around my nest had been replaced with ferns and leaves. It was safe, completely me-proof. But it was uncomfortable when it rained, snowed, or the wind was strong. Peachkit nuzzled in next to me, and wrapped her paws protectively around me. Darkkit was begging for her to come play, but she ignored him. I closed my eyes, and tried to fall asleep. The memory of my dream haunted me, but I found comfort in my sister's paws. I knew if I had a nightmare, she would soothe me; if I struggled, she would wake me up; and if I hurt myself she would get help immediately. She loved me, protected me. She was my guardian, better than Rainsplash; better than anyone. I put my head on her shoulder, and fell asleep. I didn't have any dreams of any kind. For one of the few times in my life, I hadn't had that nightmare. Of course, no matter which path I chose in the dream, I always died. The walls always closed on me, leaving me trapped. Chapter 2-Bluekit I groomed my fur even though I knew I wouldn't be called up. Darkkit was being apprenticed the next day, so it was just Peachkit and me. Well, just Peachkit. Darkkit had had two other siblings, one she-cat, one tom, but the tom had been born dead and the she-cat died soon after. Leafclan was devastated. The only two expecting queens in the Clan for the whole six moons had produced only two healthy, living kits. I was damaged, but I suppose that was better than dead. It was hard to decide sometimes. I watched as Rainsplash fussed with Peachkit for a while, making her look beautiful. In the sunlight, her fur appeared to be glowing. I wished mine looked nicer; going down looking pretty, at least. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highstone!" Dewstar called, her voice ringing with authority. We all looked up at her excitedly. "We have an apprentice ceremony to conduct. Peachkit, if you would come forward." Peachkit trembled eagerly, and bounded up to meet Dewstar. There were a few purrs of amusement. "From this day forward you shall be known as Peachpaw. Your mentor is Tigerstrike. I hope he will pass on his skills to you." They touched noses, and everyone began chanting "Peachpaw! Peachpaw!" I cheered along with them half-heartedly, struggling to feel happy for her. "Bluekit, come forward." Dewstar called. Everyone fell dead silent, shocked. I went up and she announced, "From this day forward you shall be known as Bluepaw. Your mentor is Cinderblaze. I hope she will pass on her skills to you." We touched noses, although their was still no sound. Peachpaw squeaked, "Bluepaw! Bluepaw!" Darkkit joined in, and their two solitary voices evaporated quickly in the silence. No one else said a word. I felt my eyes welling with tears. Cinderblaze led me to the side, and whispered, "We'll prove them wrong, won't we?" I nodded mutely, and she stood up. "Great! Well, we have work to do. What do you say about taking a tour of the territory and-" "What? Are you insane!" The deputy, Lionscratch had overheard. "She's delicate! Fragile! The only thing she'll be doing as an apprentice from now on is taking care of the camp. Until I say otherwise, she will ''not ''leave this camp." ~~ I bundle up the moss, ignoring the elders. They ignored me right back. Striding to the entrance, I prepared to dump it outside. "Nice try, Bluepaw," Darkpaw meowed. I sighed, handing it to him. "It was worth a shot." "No! No it wasn't. You could ''kill yourself, Blue! Don't you get that? It's not safe!" Darkpaw growled, staring me down. I glared right back, by bright blue eyes challenging him. Growling with frustration, Darkpaw turned away, leaving the camp. I bit back a sarcastic comment and turned away, going to the medicine den to get fresh moss. TBC